OxfordOxford (/ˈɒksfərd/)[3][4] is a city in the South East region of
EnglandEngland and the county town of Oxfordshire. With an estimated 2016
population of 170,350, it is the 52nd largest city in the United
Kingdom,[5][6] and one of the fastest growing and most ethnically
diverse.[7][8] The city is situated 57 miles (92 km) from London,
69 miles (111 km) from Bristol, 65 miles (105 km) from both
SouthamptonSouthampton and
BirminghamBirmingham and 25 miles (40 km) from Reading.
The city is known worldwide as the home of the University of Oxford,
the oldest university in the English-speaking world.[9] Buildings in
OxfordOxford demonstrate notable examples of every English architectural
period since the late Saxon period.
OxfordOxford is known as the "city of
dreaming spires", a term coined by poet Matthew Arnold.
OxfordOxford has a
broad economic base. Its industries include motor manufacturing,
education, publishing and a large number of information technology and
science-based businesses, some being academic offshoots.

History[edit]
Main article: History of Oxford
See also: Timeline of Oxford
Medieval[edit]
OxfordOxford was first settled in Saxon times and was initially known as
"Oxenaforda", meaning "Ford of the Oxen" (according to the English
Place-Name Society,[10] who base their result on a passing reference
in Florence of Worcester's work Chronicon ex chronicis); fords were
more common than bridges at that time.[11] It began with the
establishment of a river crossing for oxen around AD 900.
In the 10th century,
OxfordOxford became an important military frontier town
between the kingdoms of
MerciaMercia and
WessexWessex and was on several occasions
raided by Danes. In 1002, many Danes were killed in
OxfordOxford during the
England-wide St. Brice's Day massacre, a killing of Danes ordered by
King Æthelred the Unready.[12] The skeletons of more than 30
suspected victims were unearthed in 2008 during the course of building
work at St John's College, Oxford.[13] The ‘massacre’ was a
contributing factor to King Sweyn I of Denmark’s invasion of England
in 1003 and the sacking of
OxfordOxford by the Danes in 1004.[14]
OxfordOxford was heavily damaged during the Norman Invasion of 1066.
Following the conquest, the town was assigned to a governor, Robert
D'Oyly, who ordered the construction of
Oxford CastleOxford Castle to confirm
Norman authority over the area. The castle has never been used for
military purposes[dubious – discuss] and its remains survive to this
day. D'Oyly set up a monastic community in the castle consisting of a
chapel and living quarters for monks (St George in the Castle). The
community never grew large but it earned its place in history as one
of Britain's oldest places of formal education. It was there that in
1139
Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote his History of the Kings of Britain, a
compilation of Arthurian legends.[15]
In 1191, a city charter stated in Latin,[16]

"Be it known to all those present and future that we, the citizens of
OxfordOxford of the Commune of the City and of the Merchant Guild have
given, and by this, our present charter, confirm the donation of the
island of Midney with all those things pertaining to it, to the Church
of St. Mary at Oseney and to the canons serving God in that place.
"Since, every year, at Michaelmas the said canons render half a mark
of silver for their tenure at the time when we have ordered it as
witnesses the legal deed of our ancestors which they made concerning
the gift of this same island; and besides, because we have undertaken
on our own part and on behalf of our heirs to guarantee the aforesaid
island to the same canons wheresoever and against all men; they
themselves, by this guarantee, will pay to us and our heirs each year
at Easter another half mark which we have demanded; and we and our
heirs faithfully will guarantee the aforesaid tenement to them for the
service of the aforesaid mark annually for all matters and all
services.
"We have made this concession and confirmation in the Common council
of the City and we have confirmed it with our common seal. These are
those who have made this concession and confirmation."
(There follows a list of witnesses, ending with the phrase,
"... and all the Commune of the City of Oxford.")

Oxford's prestige was enhanced by its charter granted by King Henry
II, granting its citizens the same privileges and exemptions as those
enjoyed by the capital of the kingdom; and various important religious
houses were founded in or near the city. A grandson of King John
established Rewley Abbey for the
CistercianCistercian Order; and friars of
various orders (Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, Augustinians and
Trinitarians) all had houses of varying importance at Oxford.
Parliaments were often held in the city during the 13th century. The
Provisions of Oxford were instigated by a group of barons led by Simon
de Montfort; these documents are often regarded as England's first
written constitution.
Richard I of
EnglandEngland (reigned 6 July 1189 – 6 April 1199) and John,
King of
EnglandEngland (reigned 6 April 1199 – 19 October 1216) the sons of
Henry II of England, were both born at
Beaumont PalaceBeaumont Palace in Oxford, on 8
September 1157 and 24 December 1166 respectively. A plaque in Beaumont
Street commemorates these events.[17]
University of Oxford[edit]
The
University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford is first mentioned in 12th century records.
Of the hundreds of
AularianAularian houses that sprang up across the city,
only
St Edmund HallSt Edmund Hall (c. 1225) remains. What put an end to the halls
was the emergence of colleges. Oxford's earliest colleges were
University College (1249), Balliol (1263) and Merton (1264). These
colleges were established at a time when Europeans were starting to
translate the writings of Greek philosophers. These writings
challenged European ideology, inspiring scientific discoveries and
advancements in the arts, as society began to see itself in a new way.
These colleges at
OxfordOxford were supported by the Church in the hope of
reconciling
Greek philosophyGreek philosophy and Christian theology. The relationship
between "town and gown" has often been uneasy – as many as 93
students and townspeople were killed in the St Scholastica Day Riot of
1355.
The sweating sickness epidemic in 1517 was particularly devastating to
OxfordOxford and
CambridgeCambridge where it killed half of both cities' populations,
including many students and dons.[18]
Christ Church Cathedral, OxfordChrist Church Cathedral, Oxford is unique in combining a college
chapel and a cathedral in one foundation. Originally the Priory Church
of St Frideswide, the building was extended and incorporated into the
structure of the Cardinal's College shortly before its refounding as
Christ Church in 1546, since when it has functioned as the cathedral
of the
DioceseDiocese of Oxford.
The
Oxford MartyrsOxford Martyrs were tried for heresy in 1555 and subsequently
burnt at the stake, on what is now Broad Street, for their religious
beliefs and teachings. The three martyrs were the bishops Hugh Latimer
and Nicholas Ridley, and the archbishop Thomas Cranmer.[19] The
Martyrs' MemorialMartyrs' Memorial stands nearby, round the corner to the North on St.
Giles.
Early Modern[edit]
English Civil War[edit]
During the English Civil War,
OxfordOxford housed the court of Charles I in
1642, after the king was expelled from London, although there was
strong support in the town for the Parliamentarian cause. The town
yielded to Parliamentarian forces under General Fairfax in the Siege
of
OxfordOxford of 1646. It later housed the court of Charles II during the
Great Plague of
LondonLondon in 1665–66. Although reluctant to do so, he
was forced to evacuate when the plague got too close. The city
suffered two serious fires in 1644 and 1671.[20]
Late Modern[edit]

The Radcliffe Camera, completed in 1748

In 1790, the
Oxford CanalOxford Canal connected the city with Coventry. The Duke's
Cut was completed by the Duke of Marlborough in 1789 to link the new
canal with the River Thames; and, in 1796, the
Oxford CanalOxford Canal company
built its own link to the Thames, at Isis Lock. In 1844, the Great
Western Railway linked
OxfordOxford with
LondonLondon via
DidcotDidcot and
Reading,[21][22] and other rail routes soon followed.
In the 19th century, the controversy surrounding the
OxfordOxford Movement
in the Anglican Church drew attention to the city as a focus of
theological thought.
A permanent military presence was established in the city with the
completion of
Cowley BarracksCowley Barracks in 1876.[23]
Local government in
OxfordOxford was reformed by the Municipal Corporations
Act 1835, and the boundaries of the borough were extended to include a
small area east of the River Cherwell. The boundaries were further
extended in 1889 to add the areas of
GrandpontGrandpont and New Hinksey, south
of the Thames, which were transferred from
BerkshireBerkshire to Oxfordshire.
At the same time Summertown and the western part of Cowley were also
added to the borough. In 1890
OxfordOxford became a county borough.[24]

Oxford Town HallOxford Town Hall was built by Henry T. Hare; the foundation stone was
laid on 6 July 1893 and opened by the future King Edward VII on 12 May
1897. The site has been the seat of local government since the Guild
Hall of 1292 and though
OxfordOxford is a city and a
Lord MayorLord Mayor alty, the
building is still called by its traditional name of "Town Hall".
20th and 21st centuries[edit]

During the First World War, the population of
OxfordOxford changed. The
number of University members was significantly reduced as students,
fellows and staff enlisted. Some of their places in college
accommodation were taken by soldiers in training. Another reminder of
the ongoing war was found in the influx of wounded and disabled
soldiers, who were treated in new hospitals housed in University
buildings including the Examination School,
Town HallTown Hall and Somerville
College.[25]
By the early 20th century,
OxfordOxford was experiencing rapid industrial
and population growth, with the printing and publishing industries
becoming well established by the 1920s. In 1929 the boundaries of the
city were extended to include the suburbs of Headington, Cowley and
IffleyIffley to the east, and
WolvercoteWolvercote to the north.[24]
Also during the 1920s, the economy and society of
OxfordOxford underwent a
huge transformation as William Morris established Morris Motors
Limited to mass-produce cars in Cowley, on the south-eastern edge of
the city. By the early 1970s over 20,000 people worked in Cowley at
the huge
Morris MotorsMorris Motors and
Pressed Steel FisherPressed Steel Fisher plants. By this time,
OxfordOxford was a city of two halves: the university city to the west of
Magdalen BridgeMagdalen Bridge and the car town to the east. This led to the
witticism that "
OxfordOxford is the left bank of Cowley". Cowley suffered
major job losses in the 1980s and 1990s during the decline of British
Leyland, but is now producing the successful Mini for
BMWBMW on a smaller
site. A large area of the original car manufacturing facility at
Cowley was demolished in the 1990s, and is now the site of the Oxford
Business Park.[26]
During the Second World War,
OxfordOxford was largely ignored by the German
air raids during the Blitz, perhaps due to the lack of heavy industry
such as steelworks or shipbuilding that would have made it a target,
although it was still affected by the rationing and influx of refugees
fleeing
LondonLondon and other cities.[27] The university's colleges served
as temporary military barracks and training areas for soldiers before
deployment.[28]
On 6 May 1954, Roger Bannister, a 25-year-old medical student, ran the
first authenticated sub-four-minute mile at the
IffleyIffley Road running
track in Oxford. Although he had previously studied at Oxford
University, Bannister was studying at St Mary's Hospital Medical
School in
LondonLondon at the time.[29]
Oxford's second university,
OxfordOxford Brookes University, formerly the
OxfordOxford School of Art, then
OxfordOxford Polytechnic, based at Headington
Hill, was given its charter in 1991 and for the last ten years has
been voted the best new university in the UK.[30] It was named to
honour the school's founding principal, John Henry Brookes.
The influx of migrant labour to the car plants and hospitals, recent
immigration from south Asia, and a large student population, have
given
OxfordOxford a notably cosmopolitan character, especially in the
HeadingtonHeadington and
Cowley RoadCowley Road areas with their many bars, cafes,
restaurants, clubs, ethnic shops and fast food outlets and the annual
Cowley RoadCowley Road Carnival.
OxfordOxford is one of the most diverse small cities
in Britain: the most recent population estimates for 2005[31] showed
that 27% of the population were from ethnic minority groups, including
16.2% from non-white ethnic minority ethnic groups (ONS). These
figures do not take into account more recent international migration
into the city; more than 10,000 people from overseas have registered
for National Insurance Numbers in
OxfordOxford in 2005/06 and 2006/07.[32]
Geography[edit]
Physical[edit]
Location[edit]
Oxford's latitude and longitude are 51°45′07″N 1°15′28″W﻿
/ ﻿51.75194°N 1.25778°W﻿ / 51.75194; -1.25778Coordinates:
51°45′07″N 1°15′28″W﻿ / ﻿51.75194°N 1.25778°W﻿ /
51.75194; -1.25778 or grid reference SP513061 (at Carfax Tower, which
is usually considered the centre).
OxfordOxford is 24 miles (39 km) north-west of Reading, 26 miles
(42 km) north-east of Swindon, 36 miles (58 km) east of
CheltenhamCheltenham and 43 miles (69 km) east of Gloucester, 29 miles
(47 km) south-west of Milton Keynes, 38 miles (61 km)
south-east of Evesham, 43 miles (69 km) south of Rugby and 51
miles (82 km) north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and
Thames (also sometimes known as the Isis locally from the Latinised
name Thamesis) run through
OxfordOxford and meet south of the city centre.

Destinations from Oxford

Worcester
Banbury
Bicester, Milton Keynes

Witney, Cheltenham

Oxford

High Wycombe, Aylesbury

Wantage, Swindon
Abingdon, Didcot, Newbury, Reading
Slough, Windsor

Climate[edit]
OxfordOxford has a maritime temperate climate ("Cfb" by the Köppen system).
PrecipitationPrecipitation is uniformly distributed throughout the year and is
provided mostly by weather systems that arrive from the Atlantic. The
lowest temperature ever recorded in
OxfordOxford was −16.6 °C
(2.1 °F) in January 1982. The highest temperature ever recorded
in
OxfordOxford is 35.6 °C (96 °F) in August 2003 during the
2003 European heat wave. Oxford's climate is similar to that of
Pershore, Worcestershire.[33]
The average conditions below are from the Radcliffe Meteorological
Station. It boasts the longest series of temperature and rainfall
records for one site in Britain. These records are continuous from
January 1815. Irregular observations of rainfall, cloud and
temperature exist from 1767.[34]

Aside from the city centre, there are several suburbs and
neighbourhoods within the borders of city of Oxford, including:

Blackbird Leys
Cowley

Temple Cowley

Iffley

Littlemore
Rose Hill

Cutteslowe
Headington

New Marston

Jericho
North Oxford

Park Town
Norham Manor
Walton Manor

Osney
Summertown

Sunnymead
Waterways

Wolvercote

Suburbs and neighbourhoods outside the city boundaries include:

Botley
Cumnor Hill
Dean Court
North Hinksey

Green belt[edit]
Main article:
OxfordOxford Green Belt
OxfordOxford is at the centre of the
OxfordOxford Green Belt, which is an
environmental and planning policy that regulates the rural space in
OxfordshireOxfordshire surrounding the city to prevent urban sprawl and minimise
convergence with nearby settlements.[38] The vast majority of area
covered is outside the city, but there are some green spaces within
that are covered by the designation such as much of the Thames and
Cherwell river flood-meadows, Port Meadow, and the village of Binsey,
along with several smaller portions on the fringes. Other landscape
features and places of interest covered include
CuttesloweCutteslowe Park and
the mini railway attraction, the University Parks, Hogacre Common Eco
Park, numerous sports grounds, Aston's Eyot, St Margaret's Church and
well, and
WolvercoteWolvercote Common and community orchard.[39]
Economy[edit]
OxfordOxford has a diverse economy, which includes manufacturing, publishing
and science-based industries as well as education, research and
tourism.
Car production[edit]
OxfordOxford has been an important centre of motor manufacturing since
Morris MotorsMorris Motors was established in the city in 1910. The principal
production site for Mini cars, now owned by BMW, is in the Oxford
suburb of Cowley.
Publishing[edit]
Oxford UniversityOxford University Press, a department of the University of Oxford, is
based in the city, although it no longer operates its own paper mill
and printing house. The city is also home to the UK operations of
Wiley-Blackwell,
ElsevierElsevier and several smaller publishing houses.
Science and technology[edit]
The presence of the university has given rise to many science and
technology based businesses, including
OxfordOxford Instruments, Research
Machines and Sophos. The university established
Isis Innovation in
1987 to promote technology transfer. The
Oxford Science ParkOxford Science Park was
established in 1990, and the Begbroke Science Park, owned by the
university, lies north of the city.
OxfordOxford increasingly has a reputation for being a centre of digital
innovation, as epitomized by Digital Oxford.[40] Several startups
including Passle,[41] Brainomix,[42] Labstep,[43] and more, are based
in Oxford.
Education[edit]
The presence of the university has also led to
OxfordOxford becoming a
centre for the education industry. Companies often draw their teaching
staff from the pool of
Oxford UniversityOxford University students and graduates, and,
especially for EFL education, use their
OxfordOxford location as a selling
point.[44]
Brewing[edit]
There is a long history of brewing in Oxford. Several of the colleges
had private breweries, one of which, at Brasenose, survived until
1889. In the 16th century brewing and malting appear to have been the
most popular trades in the city. There were breweries in Brewer Street
and Paradise Street, near the Castle Mill Stream.
The rapid expansion of
OxfordOxford and the development of its railway links
after the 1840s facilitated expansion of the brewing trade.[45] As
well as expanding the market for Oxford's brewers, railways enabled
brewers further from the city to compete for a share of its
market.[45] By 1874 there were nine breweries in
OxfordOxford and 13
brewers' agents in
OxfordOxford shipping beer in from elsewhere.[45] The
nine breweries were: Flowers & Co in Cowley Road, Hall's St Giles
Brewery, Hall's Swan Brewery (see below), Hanley's City Brewery in
Queen Street, Le Mills's Brewery in St. Ebbes, Morrell's Lion Brewery
in St Thomas Street (see below), Simonds's Brewery in Queen Street,
Weaving's Eagle Brewery (by 1869 the Eagle Steam Brewery) in Park End
Street and Wootten and Cole's St. Clement's Brewery.[45]
The Swan's Nest Brewery, later the Swan Brewery, was established by
the early 18th century in Paradise Street, and in 1795 was acquired by
William Hall.[46] The brewery became known as Hall's
OxfordOxford Brewery,
which acquired other local breweries. Hall's Brewery was acquired by
Samuel Allsopp & Sons in 1926, after which it ceased brewing in
Oxford.[47]
Morrell's was founded in 1743 by Richard Tawney. He formed a
partnership in 1782 with Mark and James Morrell, who eventually became
the owners.[48] After an acrimonious family dispute this much-loved
brewery was closed in 1998,[49] the beer brand names being taken over
by the
Thomas HardyThomas Hardy Burtonwood brewery,[50] while the 132 tied pubs
were bought by Michael Cannon, owner of the American hamburger chain
Fuddruckers, through a new company, Morrells of Oxford.[51] The new
owners sold most of the pubs on to
Greene KingGreene King in 2002.[52] The Lion
Brewery was converted into luxury apartments in 2002.[53]
Bellfounding[edit]
The Taylor family of
LoughboroughLoughborough had a bell-foundry in
OxfordOxford between
1786 and 1854.[54]
Shopping[edit]

OxfordOxford has numerous major tourist attractions, many belonging to the
university and colleges. As well as several famous institutions, the
town centre is home to
Carfax TowerCarfax Tower and the University Church of St
Mary the Virgin, both of which offer views over the spires of the
city. Many tourists shop at the historic Covered Market. In the summer
punting on the Thames/Isis and the Cherwell is popular.

University of Oxford[edit]
Main article: University of Oxford
The
University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford is the oldest university in the
English-speaking world[55] and one of the most famous and prestigious
higher education institutions of the world, averaging nine
applications to every available place, and attracting 40% of its
academic staff and 17% of undergraduates from overseas.[56] It is
currently ranked as the world's number one university, according to
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings.[57]
OxfordOxford is renowned for its tutorial-based method of teaching, with
students attending an average of one one-hour tutorial a week.[56]
The city centre[edit]
As well as being a major draw for tourists (9.1 million in 2008,
similar in 2009),[58]
OxfordOxford city centre has many shops, several
theatres and an ice rink. The historic buildings make this location a
popular target for film and TV crews.
The city centre is relatively small, and is centred on Carfax, a
cross-roads which forms the junction of Cornmarket Street
(pedestrianised), Queen Street (semi-pedestrianised), St Aldate's and
the High.
Cornmarket StreetCornmarket Street and Queen Street are home to Oxford's
various chain stores, as well as a small number of independent
retailers, one of the longest established of which is Boswell's, which
was founded in 1738.[59] St Aldate's has few shops but has several
local government buildings, including the town hall, the city police
station and local council offices. The High (the word street is
traditionally omitted) is the longest of the four streets and has a
number of independent and high-end chain stores, but mostly university
and college buildings.
There are two small shopping centres in the city centre: The Clarendon
Centre[60] and the Westgate Centre.[61] The Westgate Centre is named
for the original West Gate in the city wall, and is located at the
west end of Queen Street. The Westgate Shopping Centre underwent a
major redevelopment and expansion to 750,000 sq ft
(70,000 m2), with a new 230,000 sq ft (21,000 m2)
John Lewis department store and a number of new homes. It opened in
October 2017.
Blackwell's Bookshop is a large bookshop which claims the largest
single room devoted to book sales in the whole of Europe, the
cavernous Norrington Room (10,000 sq ft).[62]
The Bodleian Library[edit]
See also: Category:Libraries of the University of Oxford
The
University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford maintains the largest university library
system in the UK,[63] and, with over 11 million volumes housed on
120 miles (190 km) of shelving, the Bodleian group is the
second-largest library in the UK, after the British Library. The
Bodleian is a legal deposit library, which means that it is entitled
to request a free copy of every book published in the UK. As such, its
collection is growing at a rate of over three miles (five kilometres)
of shelving every year.[64]
Visitors can take a guided tour of the Old
Bodleian LibraryBodleian Library to see
inside its historic rooms, including the 15th-century Divinity School,
medieval Duke Humfrey's Library, and the Radcliffe Camera. The Weston
Library was redeveloped and reopened in 2015, with a new shop, cafe
and exhibition galleries for visitors.[65]
Museums and galleries[edit]
See also: Category:Museums of the University of Oxford
OxfordOxford is home to many museums, galleries, and collections, most of
which are free of admission charges and are major tourist attractions.
The majority are departments of the University of Oxford.
The first of these to be established was the Ashmolean Museum, the
world's first university museum,[66] and the oldest museum in the
UK.[67] Its first building was erected in 1678–1683 to house a
cabinet of curiosities given to the
University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford in 1677. The
museum reopened in 2009 after a major redevelopment. It holds
significant collections of art and archaeology, including works by
Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Turner, and Picasso, as well as
treasures such as the Scorpion Macehead, the Parian Marble and the
Alfred Jewel. It also contains "The Messiah", a pristine Stradivarius
violin, regarded by some as one of the finest examples in
existence.[68]
The University Museum of Natural History holds the University's
zoological, entomological and geological specimens. It is housed in a
large neo-Gothic building on Parks Road, in the University's Science
Area.[69][70] Among its collection are the skeletons of a
TyrannosaurusTyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops, and the most complete remains of a
dodo found anywhere in the world. It also hosts the Simonyi
Professorship of the Public Understanding of Science, currently held
by Marcus du Sautoy.
Adjoining the Museum of Natural History is the Pitt Rivers Museum,
founded in 1884, which displays the University's archaeological and
anthropological collections, currently holding over 500,000 items. It
recently built a new research annexe; its staff have been involved
with the teaching of anthropology at
OxfordOxford since its foundation, when
as part of his donation General
Augustus Pitt RiversAugustus Pitt Rivers stipulated that
the University establish a lectureship in anthropology.[71]
The Museum of the History of Science is housed on Broad St in the
world's oldest-surviving purpose-built museum building.[72] It
contains 15,000 artefacts, from antiquity to the 20th century,
representing almost all aspects of the history of science.
In the University's Faculty of Music on St Aldate's is the Bate
Collection of Musical Instruments, a collection mostly of instruments
from Western classical music, from the medieval period onwards. Christ
Church Picture Gallery holds a collection of over 200 old master
paintings. The University also has an archive at the
OxfordOxford University
Press Museum.[73]
Other museums and galleries in
OxfordOxford include Modern Art Oxford, the
Museum of Oxford, the
OxfordOxford Castle, and The Story Museum.[74]

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
The
HeadingtonHeadington Shark
OxfordOxford Botanic Garden
Sheldonian Theatre
St. Mary the Virgin Church
Malmaison Hotel, located in a converted prison in part of the medieval
OxfordOxford Castle

Parks and nature walks[edit]
OxfordOxford is a very green city, with several parks and nature walks
within the ring road, as well as several sites just outside the ring
road. In total, 28 nature reserves exist within or just outside Oxford
ring road, including:

In addition to the larger airports in the region,
OxfordOxford is served by
nearby
OxfordOxford Airport, in Kidlington. The airport is also home to
OxfordOxford Aviation Academy, an airline pilot flight training centre, and
several private jet companies.
Buses[edit]

Bus services in
OxfordOxford and its suburbs are run by the
OxfordOxford Bus
Company and Stagecoach
OxfordshireOxfordshire as well as other operators
including Arriva Shires & Essex and Thames Travel.
Arriva Shires & Essex operates Sapphire route 280 to
AylesburyAylesbury via
Wheatley,
ThameThame and Haddenham seven days a week, at a frequency of up
to every 20 minutes.[75] The new Sapphire buses have three-pin power
sockets, leather seats and free, onboard Wi-Fi.[76]
OxfordOxford has five park and ride car parks with frequent bus links to the
city centre:

There are also bus services to the
John Radcliffe HospitalJohn Radcliffe Hospital (from
Thornhill and Water Eaton) and to the Churchill and Nuffield Hospitals
(from Thornhill). As of 2015[update],
OxfordOxford has one of the largest
urban park and ride networks in the UK. Its five sites have a combined
capacity of 4,930 car parking spaces,[77] served by 20
OxfordOxford Bus
Company double deck buses with a combined capacity of 1,695 seats.[78]
By comparison,
York park and rideYork park and ride has six sites with a combined total
of 4,970 parking spaces[79] served by 35
First YorkFirst York buses, but they
are single deckers with a combined capacity of 1,548 seats.[80]

More than 58% of
Oxford Bus CompanyOxford Bus Company customers use the ITSO Ltd
smartcard.[81]
In November 2014 almost all
Oxford Bus CompanyOxford Bus Company buses within the Oxford
SmartZone area have free WiFi installed.[82][83][84]
Hybrid buses, which use battery power with a small diesel generator,
began to be used in
OxfordOxford on 15 July 2010, on Stagecoach
Oxfordshire's Route 1 (City centre – Cowley – Blackbird Leys).
Both Stagecoach and
Oxford Bus CompanyOxford Bus Company now operate numerous hybrid
buses in the city.[85] In 2014
OxfordOxford Bus introduced a fleet of 20 new
buses with flywheel energy storage (FES) on the services it operates
under contract for Brookes University.[86] Whereas electric hybrids
use battery storage and an electric motor to save fuel, FES uses a
high-speed flywheel.
Coach[edit]
The
OxfordOxford to
LondonLondon coach route offers a frequent coach service to
London. The X90 Oxford-
LondonLondon service is operated by the
OxfordOxford Bus
Company, whilst the
OxfordOxford Tube is operated by Stagecoach Oxfordshire.
The
Oxford Bus CompanyOxford Bus Company also runs the Airline services to Heathrow and
Gatwick airports.
There is a bus station at
GloucesterGloucester Green, used mainly by the London
and airport buses, National Express coaches and other long-distance
buses including route X5 to
Milton KeynesMilton Keynes and
CambridgeCambridge and Stagecoach
Gold routes S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S8 and S9.
Cycling[edit]
Among UK cities,
OxfordOxford has the second highest percentage of people
cycling to work.[87]
Rail[edit]

In 1844, the
Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway linked
OxfordOxford with London
Paddington via
DidcotDidcot and Reading;[21][22] in 1851, the
LondonLondon and
North Western Railway opened its own route from
OxfordOxford to London
Euston, via Bicester, Bletchley and Watford;[88] and in 1864 a third
route, also to Paddington, running via Thame,
High WycombeHigh Wycombe and
Maidenhead, was provided;[89] this was shortened in 1906 by the
opening of a direct route between
High WycombeHigh Wycombe and
LondonLondon Paddington
by way of Denham.[90] The distance from
OxfordOxford to
LondonLondon was 78 miles
(125.5 km) via Bletchley; 63.5 miles (102.2 km) via Didcot
and Reading; 63.25 miles (101.8 km) via
ThameThame and Maidenhead;[91]
and 55.75 miles (89.7 km) via Denham.[90] Only the original
(Didcot) route is still in use for its full length, portions of the
others remain.
There were also routes to the north and west. The line to
BanburyBanbury was
opened in 1850,[92] and was extended to
BirminghamBirmingham Snow Hill in
1852;[93] a route to
WorcesterWorcester opened in 1853.[94] A branch to Witney
was opened in 1862,[95] which was extended to Fairford in 1873.[96]
The line to
WitneyWitney and Fairford closed in 1962, but the others remain
open.
OxfordOxford has had three main railway stations. The first was opened at
GrandpontGrandpont in 1844,[97] but this was a terminus, inconvenient for
routes to the north;[92] it was replaced by the present station on
Park End StreetPark End Street in 1852 with the opening of the
BirminghamBirmingham route.[93]
Another terminus, at Rewley Road, was opened in 1851 to serve the
Bletchley route;[98] this station closed in 1951.[99] There have also
been a number of local railway stations, all of which are now closed.
A fourth station,
OxfordOxford Parkway, is just outside the city, at the
park and ride site near Kidlington.
Oxford railway stationOxford railway station is half a mile (about 1 km) west of the
city centre. The station is served by
CrossCountryCrossCountry services to
Bouremouth,
ManchesterManchester Piccadilly and Newcastle, Great Western Railway
(who manage the station) services to
LondonLondon Paddington,
BanburyBanbury and
HerefordHereford and
Chiltern RailwaysChiltern Railways services to
LondonLondon Marylebone.
The present railway station opened in 1852.
OxfordOxford is the junction for
a short branch line to Bicester, which was upgraded to 100 mph
(161 km/h) during an 18-month closure in 2014/2015 – and is
anticipated to be extended to form the planned
East West RailEast West Rail line to
Cambridge.[100]
Chiltern RailwaysChiltern Railways now connects
OxfordOxford to London
Marylebone via
BicesterBicester Village, having sponsored the building of
about 400 metres of new track between
BicesterBicester Village and the
Chiltern Main Line southwards in 2014. The route serves High Wycombe
and
LondonLondon Marylebone, avoiding
LondonLondon Paddington and
DidcotDidcot Parkway.
East West RailEast West Rail is proposed to continue through Bletchley (for Milton
Keynes Central) to Bedford,[101] Cambridge,[102] and ultimately
Ipswich and Norwich,[103] thus providing alternative route to East
Anglia without needing to travel via, and connect between, the London
mainline terminals.
Rail–airport links[edit]
From
OxfordOxford station direct trains run to Hayes & Harlington where
interchange with the
Heathrow ConnectHeathrow Connect train links with Heathrow
Airport. Passengers can change at Reading for connecting trains to
Gatwick Airport. Some
CrossCountryCrossCountry trains run direct services to
BirminghamBirmingham International as well as further afield
SouthamptonSouthampton Airport
Parkway.
River and canal[edit]
OxfordOxford was historically an important port on the River Thames, with
this section of the river being called the Isis; the Oxford-Burcot
Commission in the 17th century attempted to improve navigation to
Oxford.[104]
IffleyIffley Lock and
OsneyOsney Lock lie within the bounds of the
city. In the 18th century the
Oxford CanalOxford Canal was built to connect Oxford
with the Midlands.[105]
Commercial traffic has given way to recreational use of the river and
canal.
OxfordOxford was the original base of
Salters SteamersSalters Steamers (founded in
1858), which was a leading racing-boat-builder that played an
important role in popularising pleasure boating on the Upper Thames.
The firm runs a regular service from
Folly BridgeFolly Bridge downstream to
Abingdon and beyond.
Roads[edit]
Oxford's central location on several transport routes means that it
has long been a crossroads city with many coaching inns, although road
traffic is now strongly discouraged from using the city centre.
The
Oxford Ring Road surrounds the city centre and close suburbs
Marston, Iffley, Cowley and Headington; it consists of the A34 to the
west, a 330-yard section of the A44, the A40 north and north-east,
A4142/A423 to the east. It is a dual carriageway, except for a
330-yard section of the A40 where two residential service roads
adjoin, and was completed in 1966.
A roads[edit]
The main roads to/from
OxfordOxford are:

Motorway[edit]
The city is served by the M40 motorway, which connects
LondonLondon to
Birmingham. The M40 approached
OxfordOxford in 1974, leading from
LondonLondon to
Waterstock, where the A40 continued to Oxford. When the M40 extension
to
BirminghamBirmingham was completed in January 1991, it curved sharply north,
and a mile of the old motorway became a spur. The M40 comes no closer
than 6 miles (9.7 km) away from the city centre, curving to the
east of Otmoor. The M40 meets the A34 to the north of Oxford.
Education[edit]
Schools[edit]
Main article: List of schools in Oxfordshire
Universities and colleges[edit]
There are two universities in Oxford, the
University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford and
OxfordOxford Brookes University, as well as the specialist further and
higher education institution
Ruskin CollegeRuskin College that is an Affiliate of
the University of Oxford. The
Islamic Azad UniversityIslamic Azad University also has a
campus near Oxford.
Media[edit]
As well as the
BBCBBC national radio stations,
OxfordOxford and the surrounding
area has several local stations, including
BBCBBC Oxford, Heart Thames
Valley, Destiny 105, Jack FM and
Jack FM 2Jack FM 2 along with Oxide: Oxford
Student Radio[106] (which went on terrestrial radio at 87.7 MHz
FM in late May 2005). A local TV station, Six TV: The
OxfordOxford Channel
was also available but closed in April 2009.[107] The city is home to
a
BBCBBC TV newsroom which produces an opt-out from the main South Today
programme broadcast from Southampton.
Popular local papers include
The Oxford TimesThe Oxford Times (compact; weekly), its
sister papers the
Oxford MailOxford Mail (tabloid; daily) and the
OxfordOxford Star
(tabloid; free and delivered), and
Oxford JournalOxford Journal (tabloid; weekly
free pick-up).
OxfordOxford is also home to several advertising agencies.
Daily InformationDaily Information (known locally as Daily Info) is an events and
advertising news sheet which has been published since 1964 and now
provides a connected website.
Nightshift is a monthly local free magazine that has covered the
OxfordOxford music scene since 1991.[108]
In 2003
DIYDIY grassroots non-corporate media has begun to spread.[109]
Independent and community newspapers include the Jericho Echo[110] and
OxfordOxford Prospect.[111]
Culture[edit]

Brian Aldiss, who lived in Oxford.
Vera Brittain, undergraduate at Somerville.
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, attended Brasenose College. Best
known for his The Thirty-nine Steps, authored 32 novels and many more
volumes of history, poetry and essays.
A.S. Byatt, undergraduate at Somerville.
Susan Cooper, undergraduate at Somerville, best known for her The Dark
Is Rising Sequence.
Lewis CarrollLewis Carroll (real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), Student and
Mathematical Lecturer of Christ Church.
Colin Dexter, who wrote and set his
Inspector MorseInspector Morse detective novels
in Oxford.
John Donaldson (d. 1989), a poet resident in
OxfordOxford in later life.
Siobhan Dowd,
OxfordOxford resident, who was an undergraduate at Lady
Margaret Hall, Oxford.
Victoria Glendinning, undergraduate at Somerville.
Kenneth Grahame, educated at St Edward's School, Oxford.
Michael Innes (J. I. M. Stewart), of Christ Church.
P. D. James, born and died in Oxford.
T. E. Lawrence, "Lawrence of Arabia",
OxfordOxford resident, undergraduate
at Jesus, postgraduate at Magdalen.
C. S. Lewis, student at University College and Fellow of Magdalen.
Iris Murdoch, undergraduate at Somerville and fellow of St Anne's.
Carola Oman, novelist and biographer, was born and brought up in the
city.
Iain Pears, undergraduate at Wadham and
OxfordOxford resident, whose novel
An Instance of the FingerpostAn Instance of the Fingerpost is set in the city.
Philip Pullman, undergraduate at Exeter.
Dorothy L. Sayers, undergraduate at Somerville.
J. R. R. Tolkien, undergraduate at
ExeterExeter and later professor of
English at Merton
John Wain, undergraduate at St John's and later Professor of Poetry at
Oxford UniversityOxford University 1973–78
Oscar Wilde, a 19th-century poet and author who attended
OxfordOxford from
1874 to 1878.
Charles Williams, editor at
Oxford UniversityOxford University Press.

Music[edit]
Oxford, and its surrounding towns and villages, have produced many
successful bands and musicians. The most notable
OxfordOxford act is
Radiohead, who all met at nearby Abingdon School, though other well
known local bands include Supergrass, Ride, Swervedriver, Lab 4,
Talulah Gosh, the Candyskins, Medal, the Egg, Unbelievable Truth,
Hurricane No. 1, Crackout, Goldrush and more recently, Young Knives,
Foals, Glass Animals,
Dive DiveDive Dive and Stornoway. These and many other
bands from over 30 years of the
OxfordOxford music scene's history feature
in the documentary film Anyone Can Play Guitar?.
In 1997,
OxfordOxford played host to Radio 1's Sound City, with acts such as
Travis, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Embrace,
SpiritualizedSpiritualized and DJ Shadow
playing in various venues around the city including
OxfordOxford Brookes
University.[113]
It is also home to several brass bands, notably the City of Oxford
Silver Band, founded in 1887.
Sport[edit]
Football[edit]
The city's leading football club,
OxfordOxford United, are currently in
League One, the third tier of league football, though they enjoyed
some success in the past in the upper reaches of the league. They were
elected to the
Football LeagueFootball League in 1962, reached the Third Division
after three years and the Second Division after six, and most notably
reached the First Division in 1985 – 23 years after joining the
Football League. They spent three seasons in the top flight, winning
the
Football LeagueFootball League Cup a year after promotion. The 18 years that
followed relegation in 1988 saw their fortunes decline gradually,
though a brief respite in 1996 saw them win promotion to the new (post
Premier League) Division One in 1996 and stay there for three years.
They were relegated to the
Football ConferenceFootball Conference in 2006, staying there
for four seasons before returning to the
Football LeagueFootball League in 2010. They
play at the
Kassam StadiumKassam Stadium (named after former chairman Firoz Kassam),
which is situated near the
Blackbird LeysBlackbird Leys housing estate and has been
their home since relocation from the Manor Ground in 2001. The club's
notable former managers include Ian Greaves, Jim Smith, Maurice Evans,
Brian Horton,
Ramon DiazRamon Diaz and Denis Smith. Notable former players
include John Aldridge, Ray Houghton, Tommy Caton, Matt Elliott, Dean
Saunders and Dean Whitehead.
Oxford City F.C.Oxford City F.C. is a semi-professional football club, separate from
OxfordOxford United. It plays in the Conference South, the sixth tier, and
two levels on the pyramid below the Football League.
OxfordOxford City
Nomads F.C. are another semi-professional football club, who ground
share with
Oxford City F.C.Oxford City F.C. and play in the Hellenic league.
Rugby league[edit]
In 2013,
Oxford Rugby LeagueOxford Rugby League entered Rugby League's semi-professional
Championship 1, the third tier of British Rugby League. Oxford
Cavaliers, who were formed in 1996, compete at the next level the
Conference League South.
Oxford UniversityOxford University (The Blues)[114] and Oxford
Brookes University (The Bulls)[115] both compete in the Rugby League
BUCS university League.
Rugby union[edit]
Oxford Harlequins RFCOxford Harlequins RFC is the city's main
Rugby UnionRugby Union team and
currently plays in the South West Division.
Oxford R.F.C is the oldest city team and currently plays in the Berks,
Bucks and Oxon Championship. Their most famous player was arguably
Michael James Parsons known as Jim Parsons who was capped by
England.[116]
Oxford UniversityOxford University RFC are the most famous club with more than 300
OxfordOxford players gaining International honours; including Phil de
Glanville, Joe Roff, Tyrone Howe, Anton Oliver, Simon Halliday, David
Kirk and Rob Egerton.[117]
LondonLondon Welsh RFC moved to the
Kassam StadiumKassam Stadium in 2012 to fulfil their
Premiership entry criteria regarding stadium capacity. At the end of
the 2015 season, following relegation, the club left Oxford.[118]
Speedway and greyhound racing[edit]
Oxford Cheetahs motorcycle speedway team has raced at
OxfordOxford Stadium
in Cowley on and off since 1939. The Cheetahs competed in the Elite
League and then the
Conference League until 2007. They were Britain's
most successful club in the late eighties becoming British League
champions in 1985, 1986 and 1989. Four times world champion Hans
Nielsen was the clubs most successful rider.
Greyhound racing took place at the
Oxford StadiumOxford Stadium from 1939 until 2012
and hosted some of the sports leading events such as the Pall Mall
Stakes,
The Cesarewitch and Trafalgar Cup. The stadium remains intact
but unused after closing in 2012.
Hockey[edit]
There are several hockey clubs based in Oxford. The
OxfordOxford Hockey Club
(formed after a merger of City of
OxfordOxford HC and Rover
OxfordOxford HC in
2011) plays most of its home games on the pitch at
OxfordOxford Brookes
University,
HeadingtonHeadington Campus and also uses the pitches at Headington
Girls' School and
IffleyIffley Road.
OxfordOxford Hawks has two astroturf pitches
at
BanburyBanbury Road North, by
CuttesloweCutteslowe Park to the north of the city.
Ice hockey[edit]
Oxford City StarsOxford City Stars is the local Ice Hockey Team which plays at Oxford
Ice Rink. There is a senior/adults’ team[119] and a
junior/children’s team.[120] The
Oxford UniversityOxford University Ice Hockey Club
was formed as an official University sports club in 1921, and traces
its history back to a match played against
CambridgeCambridge in St Moritz,
Switzerland in 1885.[121] The club currently competes in Checking
Division 1 of the British Universities Ice Hockey Association.[122]
American football[edit]
Oxford SaintsOxford Saints is Oxford's senior American Football team. One of the
longest running American football clubs in the UK, the Saints were
founded in 1983 and have competed for over 30 years against other
British teams across the country.
Cricket[edit]
Oxford UniversityOxford University Cricket Club is Oxford's most famous club with more
than 300
OxfordOxford players gaining International honours; including Colin
Cowdrey,
Douglas JardineDouglas Jardine and Imran Khan.[123]
OxfordshireOxfordshire County Cricket Club play in the Minor Counties League.
Rowing[edit]
Oxford UniversityOxford University Boat Club compete in the world-famous Boat Race.
OxfordOxford is also home to the City of
OxfordOxford Rowing Club which is
situated near Donnington Bridge.
Other sports[edit]
HeadingtonHeadington Road Runners based at the OXSRAD sports facility in Marsh
Lane (next to
OxfordOxford City F.C.) is Oxford's only road running club
with an average annual membership exceeding 300. It was the club at
which double Olympian
Mara YamauchiMara Yamauchi started her running career.
Twin towns[edit]
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in England
OxfordOxford is twinned with: